Re: Giving up on XML

Subject: Re: Giving up on XML
From: "Paul Pehrson" <paulpehrson -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: techwhirlers <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 19 Mar 2007 10:35:43 -0600

Hmmm. I'm jumping into this thread late, and I admit that I didn't read
through all the other replies, however, I'll submit that I'm using MadCap
Flare V2.5 for authoring, and it stores my documents in an XML format. Just
last ween I used Flare to create a printed version of my guide that needed
absolutely no tweaking in the printed form, and I used it to create a
differently-styled web-help output with different variables, some different
topics, and some on-line specific text.

Flare allowed me to author without "giving a fudge about rigidly enforced
document structure," and I was able to produce multiple outputs from my
single source topics.

My documents, to me, seem unstructured, though I recognize that in the
inner-workings of Flare they are, in fact, structured.

Sure, you can create your own XML-based markup language if you want, but it
seems to me that in the end why bother when there are vendors that will
create tools that allow you to work with XML (with all the benefits of using
XML), and never have to worry about the underlying code? I suppose it is a
case of picking the right tool that allows you to accomplish your end goal,
which to me is more important than the specific method for achieving that
goal.

Best wishes,

Paul Pehrson
Midvale UT

On 3/19/07, Gene Kim-Eng <techwr -at- genek -dot- com> wrote:
>
> I think that before the dust settles, for XML to successfully
> become the ubitquitous standard document language that it's
> hyped to be, some provision will need to be made for users
> who have a need to use the language (for example, to enable
> the same topic text to be used in print/PDF docs, online
> help and automated user wizards) but who don't give a fudge
> about rigidly enforced document structure. If XML is just
> a language there's no reason why it shouldn't be possible to
> use it in tools that create unstructured documents as well.
>
> Gene Kim-Eng
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mike Starr" <mikestarr-techwr-l -at- writestarr -dot- com>
>
> Well, of course you're right... if I could think of a reason I'd need a
> nanny to watch over my shoulder and make sure I didn't violate standards
> I'd
> have to choose a different tool.
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
> printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team
> authoring,
> Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
>
> Now shipping: Help &amp; Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
> full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
> to 106 languages with Help &amp; Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as paulpehrson -at- gmail -dot- com -dot-
>
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to
> techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> or visit
> http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/paulpehrson%40gmail.com
>
>
> To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
>
> Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
> http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
>
>


--
Paul Pehrson
Midvale, UT
www.paulpehrson.com blog.paulpehrson.com
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

Now shipping: Help &amp; Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help &amp; Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

References:
Rant: Giving up on XML: From: siliconwriter
Re: Giving up on XML: From: Gene Kim-Eng
Re: Giving up on XML: From: Gene Kim-Eng
Re: Giving up on XML: From: Mike Starr
Re: Giving up on XML: From: Janice Gelb
Re: Giving up on XML: From: Mike Starr
Re: Giving up on XML: From: Gene Kim-Eng

Previous by Author: Re: Questions About Arbortext.
Next by Author: Re: Giving up on XML
Previous by Thread: Re: Giving up on XML
Next by Thread: Re: Giving up on XML


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads